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Summer Camps 2025
Update (May 12, 2025): Registration still open for “Meet the Greeks” June 9-13, mornings and afternoons. June 2-6 sessions & June 16-20 sessions are closed because they are full.
CIT positions are still available for June 2-6 “Greeks” (1:00-5:00), June 9-13 “Greeks” (8:30 – 12:30 and 1:00 – 5:00) and June 16-20 “Greeks” (8:30-12:30).
"Meet the Greeks" & "Meet the Romans" are returning this June!
The 2025 dates are: June 2-6, 9-13 and 16-20. If local districts take additional snow days, the first week may need to be adjusted and the fees calculated accordingly. Please direct any questions to the Director, Ariana Traill at traill@illinois.edu.
Register now!
A hands-on meeting with the ancient world”: an LAS News story about the camps (July 19, 2024).
Meet the Romans!
“Meet the Romans” introduces kids to ancient Roman civilization. Learn stories about gods, heroes, and monsters, as well as the lives of ordinary Roman kids. Put on your toga as you create your own Roman arts and crafts, and learn some Latin, too. Latin is a great way to boost advanced English vocabulary: 90% of English words of more than two syllables come from Latin. There are different activities in each half-week session.
2025 Dates and Times: June 2-6, 8:30AM-12:30PM; June 16-20, 1:00-5:00PM
Note: There are different activities each week and different instructors, for campers who wish to attend more than one session
Ages: 8-11
Class size: 16-20 children with two instructors, two CITs & adult volunteers as available
Location: Bevier Hall Room 108
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Meet the Greeks!
“Meet the Greeks” introduces kids to ancient Greek civilization. Learn about Greek myths, like the stories of Perseus and Medusa or Artemis and Apollo. Discover the original Olympics and learn about the lives of real ancient Greek kids. Try wearing Greek clothing and check out ancient toys. Create your own Greek arts and crafts and learn a little language too! Greek roots abound in English. There are different activities in each half-week session.
2025 Dates and Times: June 2-6, 1:00-5:00PM; June 9-13, 8:30AM-12:30PM & 1:00-5:00PM; June 16-20, 8:30AM-12:30PM
Note: There are different activities each session and each week and different instructors for campers who wish to attend more than one session.
Ages: 8-11
Class size: 16-20 children with two instructors, two CITs & adult volunteers as available
Location: Bevier Hall Room 108
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CAMP INFORMATION
Instructors: Instructors hold or are completing a BA/MAT/MA/PhD in Classics. For further information, see “Meet the Classics Staff” on the web site.
Cost: $130/week per camp ($260/both camps - full day), plus $35 materials and registration processing fee per child. Minimum registration is one-week half-days.
Limited need-based scholarship aid available. Contact the director for further information.
Curriculum: Our language learning goal areas are novice mid-level (one week) or novice high level (two or more weeks) as per the Standards for Classical Language Learning, in compliance with ACTFL World Readiness Standards.
Location: On the University of Illinois Main Campus
Lunch: Lunch supervision provided for children who register for the full day.
Questions: Contact Ariana Traill, Classics Camps Director
Staff for 2025:
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Ariana Traill (she/her)
Camps Director
Ariana Traill has a BA from Toronto 1991 & a PhD from Harvard 1997. She is an Associate Professor & the current Department Head in the Department of the Classics. She has run Classics Summer Camps since 2015. She advises future Latin teachers in the Foreign Language Teacher Education Program. Her professional experience includes teaching Latin, Greek and Classical Civilization the University of Illinois, since 2003. Her first teaching experience was in Latin, French and Music at a Canadian high school.
Contact: traill@illinois.edu Phone: (217) 621 - 9912
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Vaughn Fenton (he/him)
Lead teacher “Meet the Romans”, June 2-6, 2025
Vaughn Fenton has a B.A in History and Classics from Virginia Tech. He is currently a Classics PhD student at the University of Illinois and is preparing for career as a scholar of Classics. At the University of Illinois, Vaughn has taught numerous Myth discussion sections and has assisted for a variety of classes, including Introduction to Ancient Greek Culture and Development of Ancient Cities. In his free time, he likes to paint and build models. See his academic profile.
Vaughn is returning for his third year in Classics Summer Camps.
Contact: vfenton2@illinois.edu
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Amy Vandervelde (she/her)
Lead teacher “Meet the Greeks” June 2-6, 2025
Amy has a BA Classical Languages & English Literature from Macalester College. She is continuing into her fifth year of the Ph.D. program in Classical Philology at UIUC. Here at Illinois she has taught LAT 101 and 202 and been a discussion section leader and Head TA for CLCV 115 Mythology of Greece and Rome, and she also was one of the graduate student representatives for the past academic year. Her research focuses on mythology of the Underworld and its reception in modern media. Amy spent a handful of years as the 3rd/4th grade lead counselor for her hometown's Camp Invention summer program and looks forward to spending time with the students this week to "Meet the Greeks."
Contact: amykv2@illinois.edu Phone: (815) 993–6042
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Laurence Pavlik (any/all)
Aide “Meet the Romans,” June 2-6, 2025, “Meet the Greeks” June 16-20, 2025
Lead teacher “Meet the Greeks” June 9-13, 2025, mornings, and “Meet the Romans”, June 16-20, 2025
Laurence earned his Bachelors at Augustana College, studying Classics. Afterwards, he ventured further into Classics, arriving at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he pursues a Masters. When he has achieved this, he will continue towards a doctorate elsewhere. His research is focused on Roman Religion and the Cultures of Ancient Italy. At UIUC, he has taught discussion sections for Greco-Roman Antiquity and US Minority Cultures. Outside of work, he is fond of hiking and baking. See his Academic Profile.
This is Laurence’s first year at Classics Summer Camps, but he has worked as a Counselor at Owasippe Scout Reservation before.
Contact: lpavlik2@illinois.edu
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Alexander Maltby (he/him)
Aide “Meet the Greeks” June 2-6, 2025 and June 9-13 (mornings)
Lead teacher “Meet the Greeks” June 9-13, 2025, mornings, and June 16-20.
Alexander has B.A.'s in History and Classics from the University of California, Riverside and an M.A. in Classics from Texas Tech University. Currently, he is a PhD student in Classics at the University of Illinois. Alexander has taught and assisted in courses ranging from Introductory Latin to Classical Mythology. He is excited for his first year of Classics Summer Camps. Outside of the classroom, Alexander enjoys playing video games, hanging out with his cat Theo, and reading whatever he can get his hands on.
Contact: amaltby2@illinois.edu
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Luther Riedel (he/him)
Aide “Meet the Greeks” June 9-13, 2025, afternoons, and “Meet the Romans” June 16-20, 2025
Luther has a BA in Political Science from Whitman College, an MA in English from University of Connecticut, and an MA in Classics from Florida State. He began work on a PhD in Classics at the University of Illinois in 2024. He has taught English at various colleges, Greek culture courses at Florida, and has led multiple discussion sections of Mythology of Greece and Rome at Illinois. He hopes to wind up teaching Latin and Greek professionally. His interests include yoga, comics, writing, numismatics (coins), and all things ancient.
This is Luther’s first year in Classics Summer Camps.
Contact: lriedel2@illinois.edu
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Counselor in Training Program
Are you aged (14-16) and interested in ancient Greek and Roman stories and culture? Do you enjoy working with kids? Classics Summer Camps welcomes applications for our new Counselor in Training Program.
Responsibilities
- Participate fully in camps activities and be a positive influence. Camps run according to a schedule of activities distributed at the beginning of each week.
- Help children master new skills, complete projects, and have fun in a safe, friendly environment.
- Work cooperatively with camps instructors to provide a positive experience for all campers.
- Be willing to learn and use new information about Greco-Roman antiquity, including some Latin and/or Greek.
Training
One hour orientation covering safety, camps code of conduct, camps activities, and skills needed to work with children, including classroom management, before camps begin. The rest of the training will take place during camps. CIT’s will be supported in developing leadership skills.
Hours
Up to 20 hours per session (= one week half days).
Cost: $60.00 per session (= one week half days). No registration fee.
Application
To apply, please send a short (150-200 word) statement about why you would like to be a counselor in training to Prof. Ariana Traill, Director, Classics Summer Camps (traill@illinois.edu) by May 1, 2025. Applicants will be asked to participate in a short Zoom interview with parents/legal guardians present. Application will remain open until all positions are filled.